Hair scruncher

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for scrunching hair to achieved a desired hair styling effect. A user holds the housing portion of the apparatus and applies the scrunching portion to the user&#39;s hair, contracting and releasing the scrunching portion until a desired hair volume, luster and style is achieved.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/087,985 filed Aug. 11, 2008 entitled Hair Scruncher and is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for drying, molding and styling hair (also known as “scrunching,” by industry salon experts and stylists), to achieve a desired aesthetic result.

In particular, it is known in the art that hair dryers and other hair tools are used to shape and mold hair into a desired style. There are numerous patents that describe some form of hair drying devices and hair styling tools (e.g., curling or straightening irons). For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,759,135, 4,955,145, 4,692,594, 5,661,910, 4,976,276 and 6,266,893 describe various devices for drying and styling hair, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. However, none of these patents disclose a device or method capable of scrunching hair in a manner that provides a user with a device that produces salon-like styling results in a cost-effective manner that is easy to use.

There exists a need for a hair styling device that achieves an aesthetic result (scrunch-styled hair) whether or not they receive such style in a salon, the device being cost-effective to manufacture and easy to use by expert stylists and average customers alike.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a hair styling device and method including drying, volumizing and styling capabilities.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a hair styling device and method that is cost-effective to manufacture and purchase.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a hair styling device that is easy to use.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a hair styling device and method that is of uniform construction.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a hair styling device and method that may be placed on and removed from any standard hair dryer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a portion of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of one embodiment the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective front view of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a side view of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4B is a side view of the embodiment of the device shown in FIG. 4A, in a different orientation.

FIG. 5 is a side view of one embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate devices 10 contemplated in accordance with the present invention. A device 10 may generally include at least one housing portion 20 and at least one scrunching portion 30. As shown in FIG. 2 (a portion of the device 10), a housing portion 20 may generally include a distal end 22 and a proximal end 24 and may include (therebetween and therewithin) a hair drying assembly including at least a motor 23, a fan blower 24, and a heating coil 25 (through which air and heat are advanced from the distal end 22 to the proximal end 24 of the housing portion 20, to be placed in contact with the user's hair). The housing portion 20 may also partially house an actuating portion 40 which actuates aspects of the scrunching portion 30, further described as follows.

A housing portion 20 may be operably connected with a scrunching portion 30 which may include a finger housing 31 and fingers 32. The finger housing 31 may include, but is not limited to, an air flow disk 37 and fingers 32 (as also illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2). It is contemplated in the present invention that the fingers 32 are generally thought of as any finger-like design (whether mechanical or biological) that provides a function that fingers are known to provide and may include any type of designs, shapes, lengths, materials and number of fingers necessary to affect a lifting and scrunching of a user's hair. The fingers 32, as shown in each of the Figures, include a substantially human finger shape, with air flow holes at the “joints” of the fingers (although it is contemplated that air flow holes could be positioned in numerous amounts, locations and sizes, all along the length of the fingers 32). The fingers 32 may optionally include open tips (as illustrated in FIG. 3) or closed tips 36, said closed tips 36 being capable of providing optimal grasping and lifting of the user's hair. In at least one embodiment, the fingers 32 may be substantially hollow and encompass actuating portions 40 (such as cable or wire) that run the internal length of the finger 23 and out of the device 10 through the housing portion 20 (as illustrated in detail in FIG. 2).

The fingers 32 may further comprise any number of materials that optimally advance and apply air and heat to a user's hair, such that the desired style is achieved and the health of the hair is maintained (such materials would include those already known by persons of ordinary skill in the hair styling device art). Additionally, it is preferred that the material of the fingers 32 is such that any hair products used (e.g., gels, mouses, sprays) will function as desired in conjunction with the use of the device 10. In at least one preferred embodiment, the fingers 32 are comprised of ceramic material, although any heat-tolerant plastics, rubbers, silicon, foam, composite, tourmaline, metal and/or any combination thereof are also contemplated herein. In at least one preferred embodiment, the fingers 32 may be covered with a material (e.g., heat-tolerant) that is skin-like in construction, to minimize the possibility of the user's hair entering air flow holes 34 on the fingers 32 (and/or the air flow disk 37) and/or provide additional luster to the hair and/or reduce static electricity of the hair. Such material may include, for example, some form of mesh polymeric material, plastic, nylon, silicon or any combination thereof.

In at least one embodiment of the present invention, a housing portion 20 and a scrunching portion 30 may be substantially combined into one unitary, inclusive piece (as illustrated in FIG. 3). In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the housing portion 20 contemplated for use in the invention may be any standard hair dryer (known by persons of ordinary skill in the hair device art) and the scrunching portion 30 is operably connected with the housing portion 20 (as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 5). It is further contemplated that the scrunching portion 30 may be constructed so as to make it removably affixable to the housing portion 20, for easy installation and optional removal (for example, if re-use with another hair dryer is desired). Accordingly, the housing portion 20 and scrunching portion 30 may be, at least in part, preferably comprised of a heat-tolerant plastic material. Any shape and design of the device 10 that would be light weight and easy to hold and use by either an expert stylist or an average user is contemplated within the present invention. Additionally, it is preferred that the device 10 is utilizable with only one hand.

The actuating portions 40 may be activated by a button, lever, trigger, thermocouple, or by remote control (remotely from the device 10 itself), or any other actuating method that may be known or contemplated by one of ordinary skill in the art. The actuating portions 40, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4A-4B and 5, may include, but are not limited to, cables or wires that run through the internal core of the fingers 32. However, any number of actuating portions 40 are contemplated for use in the present invention (for example, sleeves placed over the fingers that are engageable to contract and release the fingers, magnetism, etc), so long as such actuation portions 40 effect repeatable extension and compression of the fingers 23, to produce the desired hair styling effect. In at least one embodiment (as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B), the actuating portions 40 may be operably connected with a lever 50 situated outside the housing portion 20. The lever 50 may include a proximal end 52 and a distal end 54, with the actuating portions 40 being operably connected with the proximal end 52 of the lever 50. As shown in FIG. 4A, the lever 50 may further include a resting orientation 56 and in FIG. 4B, the lever 50 is shown in an activated orientation 58, with the activated orientation 58 arising when a user squeezes the distal end 54 of the lever 50.

In at least one embodiment of the present invention, and as illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4B and 5 respectively, the orientation of the fingers 32 may range between a resting position 38 and an activated position 39, in order to achieve a desired hair styling effect. Also, it is preferable that heat/air flow functions of the device 10 would be activatable by a power source (not shown), such power source including but not limited to an electrical cord, battery or other technologies that may be known or contemplated by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Optionally, the actuating portions 40 of the device 10 may be actuated manually (as shown throughout) or via said power source. The device 10 may be operated with an amount of power already known in the hair device art and, preferably, approximately between 700-1875 watts of power. Additionally, the device 10 may include such features as ionic technology and/or application of other energy sources (for example, far infrared energy technology), such technologies being known by persons of ordinary skill in the art, in order to achieved a desired hair styling effect.

One preferred method for scrunching hair is for a user (whether expert stylist or average user) to hold the device 10 at the housing portion 20 and apply the scrunching portion 30 to the head of hair to be styled (not shown). Conditions of the head of hair may range between wet to damp, or even semi-dry to dry with hair product applied to the hair (depending on the desired styling result). The scrunching portion 30 may be applied by placing the fingers 32 (and, more specifically, the finger tips 36) directly at or near the surface of a person's scalp with the fingers 32 initially in a resting position 38 (as shown in FIGS. 4A and 5). The drying and heating function of the device 10 may be activated, for example, separably or in combination, and the actuating portion 40 of the device 10 may then be engaged to actuate the fingers 32 into an activated position 39. The process of releasing and contracting the fingers 32 may be repeated throughout the head of hair, until the desired result is achieved.

Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof. 

1. A hair styling device comprising: a housing portion; a scrunching portion; and an actuating portion wherein said portions are operably connected with one another, wherein said scrunching portion is actuatable at least by said actuating portion, wherein said scrunching portion is placed at a location at or near a person's head of hair, wherein said scrunching portion is actuated to style said hair.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said scrunching portion comprises a plurality of fingers.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein said scrunching portion further comprises a portion for heat and air flow.
 4. The device of claim 2, wherein said fingers further comprise gripping tips.
 5. The device of claim 2, wherein said fingers comprise a plurality of holes for heat and air flow.
 6. The device of claim 2, wherein said fingers are substantially comprised of ceramic material.
 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said actuating portion comprises wires.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein said actuating portion further comprises a thermocouple.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein said actuating portion is operably affixed to said housing portion.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing portion comprises a portion that may be removably and operably affixed to a commercially-available hair dryer.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing portion comprises a standard-shaped commercially available hair dryer.
 12. The device of claim 1, wherein said scrunching portion is actuated by said actuating portion remotely.
 13. A hair styling device comprising at least one scrunching portion for styling hair.
 14. A method for styling hair, comprising the steps of: providing a hair styling device with an actuatable scrunching portion; activating said hair styling device; placing said scrunching portion at a first location at or near a scalp of a person's head of hair; actuating said scrunching portion between a closed and open position; and moving said hair styling device throughout said person's head of hair until a desired hair styling result is achieved.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing said hair styling device comprises providing a hair device that is lighter in weight than a standard hair dryer.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein activating said hair styling device comprises activating the power of the hair styling device and activating the scrunching portion, in more than one distinct action.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein activating said hair styling device comprises activating the power of the hair styling device and actuating the scrunching portion, in one combined action.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein activating said hair styling device further comprises actuating said scrunching portion between a closed and open position at predetermined intervals.
 19. The method of claim 14, wherein moving said hair styling device throughout said person's head of hair until a desired hair styling result is achieved comprises a straight hair style.
 20. The method of claim 14, wherein moving said hair styling device throughout said person's head of hair until a desired hair styling result is achieved comprises a hair style producing volume at or near the person's scalp. 